Margaux Bauwens
Doctoral fellow – Lab of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Department of Pharmaceutics (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UGent)
Principal investigators: prof. Filip Van Nieuwerburgh (PhD) and prof. Ine Lentacker (PhD)
Research focus
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is frequently associated with a ‘cold’ tumor microenvironment (TME), characterized by limited immune infiltration and strong immunosuppressive signaling. Multiple cell types including Tregs, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and tumor-associated macrophages suppress effector T and NK cell activity, enabling tumor immune evasion. This immunosuppressive environment contributes to the limited response rates to immune checkpoint inhibitors. To counteract this, we propose to reprogram Tregs using CRISPR-Cas technology, delivered via lipid nanoparticles (LNPs). This reprogramming will reshape the TME into a more immunologically ‘hot’ and therapy-responsive state. Given the complexity of LNP compositions and the limited understanding of their impact on delivery, rational design procedures are required. Therefore, our goal is to establish novel strategies by integrating single-cell transcriptomics and spatial transcriptomics with mRNA barcoding. This combined approach will enable the development of targeted, ethical, cost-efficient, and time-efficient LNP formulations for precision CRISPR (and other therapeutic) delivery.
Biography
Margaux Bauwens started her Bachelor’s degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences at Ghent University in 2020. In 2025, she obtained her Master’s degree in Drug Development with great distinction. She completed her master’s thesis at Trince in 2024, focusing on the optimization of a photoporation-based transfection technique.
Alongside her regular studies, she completed the Honours Programme in Life Sciences: Breaking Frontiers. Under the supervision of Prof. Christophe Stove, she investigated the mu-opioid receptor as part of this programme.
Margaux is an FWO PhD fellow at the Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology at Ghent University. Her doctoral research is conducted under the supervision of Prof. Filip Van Nieuwerburgh and Prof. Ine Lentacker.
Contact & links
- Lab address: Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Campus Heymans, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, B - 9000 Ghent, Belgium
- Margaux Bauwens is interested to receive invitations for presentations or talks